Hi-Def News: Wal-Mart to exclusively support Blu-Ray

This morning on their company gadget blog, CheckOut.com, Wal-Mart officially announced they will support Blu-Ray exclusively as of June 2008. They will begin emphasizing Blu-Ray in both online and brick-and-mortar store operations immediately, while slowly phasing out HD-DVD hardware and software. Here's what they had to say:

"We've listened to our customers, who are showing a clear preference toward Blu-ray products and movies with their purchases, explained Gary Severson, senior vice president, Home Entertainment, Wal-Mart US.

"With the customers best interest in all we do, we wanted to share our decision and timeline with them as soon as possible, knowing it will help simplify their purchase decision, increase selection, and increase adoption long term. We anticipate enhancing our selection with continued great values in hi-definition Blu-ray products, so our customers can further enhance their entertainment experience at home."

This is a worse blow to HD-DVD than even the Best Buy announcement earlier this week-at least Best Buy was going to keep the players and software in the stores, albeit de-emphasized. But Wal-Mart, this nation's top retailer, dumping them altogether (after being a major marketing partner with them during the last holiday season) ... well, geez Paramount and Universal, do you need a BIGGER sign that consumers have spoken??

Meanwhile, yesterday sources "close to the situation" began reporting that Toshiba was moving to drop HD-DVD support entirely. Officially, Toshiba has denied those reports, and there has been nothing spoken on the record to confirm this, which is why I didn't report it yesterday. But if this turns out to be true, and Toshiba being the only hardware manufacturer supporting HD-DVD at this time, then that's FINALLY it.